Shoe-machine



S. STRAUSS.

SHOE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22.1918. RENEWED DEC. 20.1920.

"1,385,647. Patented July 26, 1921.

172150711 07"; Jamaal QIZTLZLAYS,

s. STRAUSS.

SHOE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1918- RENEWED DEC. 20, 1920: I

Patented July 26, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I fnvenio r..- AJal fl/Z d jiraads,

fiOrng/W S. STRAUSS.

SHOE MACHINE. 7

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1918. RENEWED 05c. 20.1920.

1,385,647, Patented Jul 26, 1921,.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Samuel Sfiauss.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL srnAUss LOS'ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AssIeNon rro nos ANGELES rnusr AND sAvmes BANK, reverse, or LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A

CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

snore-MACHINE.

Patented July 26 1921.

Application filed J'iily 22, 1918, Serial No. 246,146. Renewed December 20, 1920. Serial No. 432,139.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S'rRAUss, a citizen of the United States residing at Los Angeles, in the county of 15105 Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Shoe-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for one of its principal objects the making of shoes by an inexpensive method. 7

Another object is to make provision for stretching leather or other suitable upperforming material over a last so as to shape the leather to the last to form a shoe upper without the necessity of pressing the leather into a female die as has been done heretoro-re.

Another object is to make provision for basting the upper, thus formed, to the sole of the shoe while the last, upper and sole are held together in the machine so that the upper will retain the shape given it by the machine during the time that elapses between the forming operation and the stitching operation.

Another object is to produce a simple machine that will efi'ect the for oing objects.

Another object is to pro uce a machine for simplifying the making of shoes so that labor unskilled in the art of makingshoes can be utilized for such work.

Another object is to so construct the last that it forms a guide for cutting the upper that is shaped on it.

Uther objects and advantages will appear in the subjoined detailed descri tion.

. The accompanying drawings lllustrate the invention:

Figure '1 is a side elevation partly in vertical midsectio-n of a machine constructed in accordance with the pro-visions of this invention and capable of performing some of the operations involved in the newly invented method of making shoes. Solid lines show the parts in shoe-formingposition and broken lines indicate some of the operating parts in other positions.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation from the left of Flg. 1, the operating handle and upper hand-wheel being indicated in raised positions in broken lmes.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental elevation rl'naingy in section on line indicated by wm-',

ig. 4 is an enlar ed detail of one of the devices for detachafily fastening the bastmg collar to its support.

1g. 5 1s a plan section on line indicated by as -93, Fig. 1, the last, leather for form- 1n the upper and the sole being omitted.

1g. 6 IS a plan view of the platen, collar for supporting the leather for forming the 'upper and the standards for supporting the collar,- the yoke operating rods being shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a plan. view of the basting collar.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the last.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the support and its operating pins.

There is provided a last 1 of any suitable construction. in the instance shown in the drawings, see especially .tigs. 8 and 9, the last 1 is provided with an annular groove 2 at the ankle portion and a groove 3 extending longitudinally from the groove 2 to ward the toe of the last. The last 1 is merely typical of a variety of lasts which may be used. The last forms a portion of the ma chine and constitutes a portion of the invention for the reason that the machine will not function without the last to operate on the material of which the shoe is to be made. The last 1 is adapted to rest on a sole indicated at din Figs. 1 and 3. The sole is formed of leather or other suitable material and does not form a portion of the machine. The sole 4 rests on a platen 5 which is preferably provided with upwardly projecting pointed pins or spurs 6 adapted to penetrate the sole so as to hold the sole against lateral movement. The upper face of the laten 5 may be curved as clearly shown in ig. 1 so as to conform in shape with the curved bottom of the last.

Means are provided to lower and raise the platen 5 and such. means may be variously constructed and in the drawings the construction is as follows: The platen 5 has a downwardly extending boss 7 which is provided with a socket 8 to detachably receive the up er end of a screw 9, thus different .sizes 0 platens 5 may be readily mounted on the upper end of the screw 9. The screw 9 has its lower end journaled in a bearing 10 of a frame indicated in general by the character 11, the bearing 10 bein fastened by screws 12 or the like to the un er side of a cross-bar 13 of the frame; Surrounding the screw 9 and resting upon the crossbar 13 is a bevel gear whee 14 dprovided with a pin 15 which engages an thrusts against the threads of the screw so that when the bevel gear 14 is turned it will cause endwise movement of the screw 9 in a manner easily understood. To turn the bevel gear 14 said gear meshes with a bevel pinion 16 on a shaft 17 which is journaled in bearings 18, 19 formed by portions of the frame 11. The shaft 17 may be driven either manually or by mechanical power of any suitable description. In this instance the shaft. 17 is provided with a hand-wheel 20 whereby said shaft may be turned so as to effect raising and lowering of the last 1.

When the laten 5 is in raised position, as shown in ull lines in Fig. 1, it is accommodated in an opening 21 which extends through a collar 22 provided at its opposite' ends with lugs 23 that are detachably mounted on and fit in grooves 24 of standards 25, said standards forming portions of the frame 11. The collar 22 is typical of various sizes of collars which may be used if desired and may be readily interchanged with one another acCOlding to the size of shoe it is desired to make.

A piece of leather, which is to form the upper of the shoe, is indicated in dotted lines at a, Fig. 1, and is adapted to be placed over the openin 21 in the collar 22, and means are provided to hold the piece of leather in position on the collar and such means will now be described: Above the collar 22 is a yoke 26 having an opening 27 sufficiently large to accommodate the last 1. This yoke 26 is adapted to be brought into engagement with a bead 28 on the collar 22, the bead extending around the opening 21. It is clear that when the marginal portion of the piece of leather a rests on the bead 28 and the oke 26 rests on the marginal portion of the eather the leather will be held securel and will extend across the opening 21. he yoke 26 is shiftably mounted so that it can be raised and lowered and for this purpose the ends of the yoke are provided with holes 29 to accommodate vertically extending rods 30, there being shoulders 31 on the rods normally engaging the underfaip of the yoke 26 so as to support said 0 e. e y Any suitable means may be provided for producing endwise motion of the rods 30 and in the instance shown in the drawings said means are constructed as follows: The rods 30 are pivoted at 32 to arms 33 which in turn are pivoted at 34 to cranks 35 on the opposite ends of a rockshaft 36 that is journaled in bearings 37 fastened to the underside of the crossbar l3 and formed by ortions of the frame 11. Collars 38 may e provided on the shaft 36, fastened in place by set screws 39, or their equivalents, to prevent endwise movement of the shaft 36, said collars thrusting against the bearings the drawings, it is clear that when the handle 40 is up, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2, the yoke 26 is in raised position, whereas, when the handle 40 is down as-shown in solid lines in'said fi me, the yoke is in its lowered position for c' I to form the upper,-onto the collar 22. The yoke 26 is normally held on the shoulders 31 against the reaction pressure of the collar- 22 by any suitable means, preferablysuch means being more or less resilient. For this purpose the upper end portions of the rods 30 may be inserted throu h resilient members 41 of any suitable c aracter. In the drawings the resilient members 41 are shown in the form of soft rubber bushings, and washers 42, 43 are placed at the ends of the rubber bushings 41, and nuts 44 are screwed on the outer ends of the rods 30 against the washers 42 to hold the rubber bushings 41 against upward movement. The utility of this particular construction will be made clear hereinafter.

The yoke 26 is provided with an endless recess or groove 45 in its under -face close to the opening 27 and shiftably mounted in said groove is a basting collar support in the form of an irregular ring 46. This support 46 forms an operating member for a basting collar 47 which is detachably connected to the support 46 by any suitable means. These means may be constructed as shown in the drawings as follows: The support 46 is provided at opposite ends with flat downwardly extending springs 48 adapted to be accommodated in notches 49 in the ends of the collar 47. The springs 48 frictionally engage the collar 47 and said springs may have their free ends bent inward as at 50 so as to further insure against accidental displacement of the collar 47 from the support 46. If the collar 47 be pulled downward it will be released so that it can be readily removed from the machine. The support 46 is normally held upward in the groove 45 and for this purpose said support is provided with upwardly projecting pins 51 which extend through the oke 26 and above the upper face thereof. he pins 51 a1;e provided with shoulders or abutments amping the leather, which is 52 between which and the upper face of the yoke 26 are inserted coil springs 53 which function to normall force the pins 51 upw ward so as to hold 1; e support 46 and collar suitable means may be provided to turn the 47 retracted in the recess 45.

Means are provided to force the pins 51 downward so as to 'move the support 46 downward and such means may be variously constructed. Appropriate means for pressing the pins 51 downward are shown 1n the drawings and are constructed as follows: The upper ends of the pins 51 are adapted to be engaged by an operating member 54 in the form of a plate which is adjustably suspendedby a screw 55 threaded through a standard 56 mounted on the yoke 26. The plate 54 may be provided at its ends with notches 57 to accommodate the legs 58 of the standard 56 so that the plate 54 will be guided and held against lateral movement when it is being raised and lowered. Any

screw 55 and such means may be mechanical power or may be manually operated. In the drawings, I have shown for this purpose a hand-wheel 59 mounted on the upper end of the screw 55 and it is clear that turnin of the hand-wheel will cause raising and owering of the plate 54. The collar 47 is provided with downwardly projecting basting members in the form of sharpened pins or spurs 60 arranged at intervals and it is clear that when the hand-wheel 59 is turned in the appropriate direction to lower the plate 54 the basting members 60 will be caused to penetrate the piece of leather forming the upper of the shoe and pass into the sole 4. To avoid blunting of the points of the basting members 60 a recess or groove 61 is provided in the platen 5 in position to reg ster with the basting members as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Thus sulficient pressure may be brought to bear on the pins 51 by the plate 54 to drive the basting members 60 completely through the sole 4 so as to baste the piece of leather forming the upper to the sole.

It now appears that, when the basting collar 47 has been forced downward against the piece of leather forming the upper of the shoe, further pressure would be liable to cause breakage of some of the parts of the machine, and that because of the provision of the resilient members 41 said members 41 will be compressed somewhat if the pressure is continued after the basting members have been driven home. As soon as the operator notes that the resilient members 41 are beginning to be compressed, he will cease turnin the hand-wheel 59 as such compression wi 1 denote that the basting members have been driven home and that further pressure is unnecessary.

It may be desirable to loosen the sole 4 from the spurs 6'before removing the shoe upper and sole together with the last from .the machine inorder to avoid any liability of prematurely loosening the upper from the sole when so removing them, and for this pur ose the platen 5 may be provided with per orations 62 through which an suitable tool may be inserted to press the so e upward together with the shoe upper and the last. This will of course be done after the yoke 26 has beenmoved to its raised position.

The rods 30 are 'shiftably mounted in upper and lower guides or bearings 63, 64 of the framp 11, said guides projecting outward from the standards 25. A

In ractice, to make a shoe b the use of the a ove described machine, proceed as follows: I first see that the platen is in the lowered position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1, that the plate 54 is in raised position as also indicated in broken lines in Fig; 1, and that the yoke 26 is in raised position. A piece of leather or other suitable material for forming the sole 4 of the shoe is cut into the desired shape and size and is placed on the 1platen 5 and pressed downward thereon so t at the spurs 6 will penetrate the sole '4 and firmly hold it against slippage on the platen. Then the last 1 will be placed in position'on the sole 4. 7

Then the piece of leather indicated in dotted lines at a, which is to form the upper of the shoe, is placed in position overthe opening 21 and the handle 40 is lowered to hold said piece of leather in position. Then the operator will turn the hand-wheel 20 to move the platen and the sole and last upward to hung the last into engagement with the piece of leather a. The operator will continue to turn the hand-wheel 20 to stretch the leather over the last 1, the last being forced upward until the marginal ortion of the sole meets the flange 65 of the s oe upper 66 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. During this pressing movement the last 1 is projected into the o ening 27 and the piece of leather forming t e upper 66 is not held in any lace excepting by its flange 65. This alows the leather to be stretched evenly and smoothly over the last so as to give the upper the true and exact shape of the last.

Then the operator will turn the handwheel 59 to move the plate 54 downward so as to cause the support 46 and its collar 47 to move downward toward the flange 65 of the upper and thereby force the basting members 60 through the flange 65 and through the sole 4 to baste the sole and upper together. After this is accomplished the operator will turn the hand-wheel 59 inthe appropriate direction to retract the plate 54 and the pressure of the springs 53 will then become operative to raise the pins 51 and consequently the support 46. Owing to the basting members 60 holding the basting collar 47 to the upper 66 ofthe shoe, and the upper being sira held b the collar and yoke 22, 26, the springs 48 will yield so that the basting collar 47 W1 1 become detached from its su port 46. The 0 erator then raises tl ie handle 40 so asto re ease the flange of the upper 66, which has been formed, from pressure of the goke 26 and he will, if necessar or deso as to force the sole '4 loose from the laten 5. The sole 4, u per 66, basting col ar 47 and the last 1 wilPthen be removed together from the machine and the flange 65 and the sole will be stitched together in a'manner well understood in the art. It is clear that the basting collar 47 forms a' uide for the stitcher so that the stitches can e accurately placed.

After the stitching operation is effected, the operator cuts the upper 66 adjacent the ankle portion of said upper so as to form the openin through which the wearers foot is inserted in the shoe. In thus cutting the upper, the roove 2 in the last forms a guide for the kni e-blade so that a person inexperienced in the shoe making art can cut the upper correctly. The operator will also cut a slit in the shoe, his knife being guided by the groove 3 in the last. The. shoe is then finished in any well-known manner, the buttons or eyelets being placed in position and the edges of the opening being stitched to finish them ofl".

In the foregoing description of making the shoe no mentlon is made of a lining therefo'i' but it is clear that if it is desired to incorporate a lining in the shoe, the lining will be placed in position beneath the piece of leather which is to form the upper and then the foregoing described operations will be carried out so that the lining will be formed, basted in place, and afterward stitched in place to form a readily understo It may be desirable in some instances to hold the handle 40 in its raised position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and for that urpose I have provided a resilient latch member 67 fastened at one end to the frame 11 and provided at its free end with a detent 68 adapted to be normally projected into the path of travel of the handle 40 by reason of the resiliency of the member 67. When the handle 40 is in raised edge thereof is engage by the rear face of the detent 68 so that the handle 40 cannot be lowered until the detent is pushed to one side.

le, insert a suitable tool in the oles 62 ortion of the shoe as isosition the forwardv platen toward one another to stretch the ather over the last.

2. A shoe machine comprising a platen, a last adapted to be positioned on a sole resting on the platen, a collar, means to hold a giece of leather on the collar, means to prouce relative movement of the collar and platen toward one another to stretch the eather over the last, a basting collar above the platen provided with basting members, and means to produce relative movement between the platen and basting collar to force the basting members toward the platen.

3. A shoe machine comprising a platen, a last adapted to be positioned on a sole restin on the platen, a collar, a yoke above the co lar, means to produce relative movementof the oke and collar toward one another to hold means to produce relative movement of the collar and platen toward one another to stretch the leather over the last, a support shiftably mounted on the yoke, means to.

move the support toward the platen and relative to the yoke, and a basting collar detachably fastened to the support and provided with downwardly projecting basting members. 3

4. A shoe machine comprising means to hold a piece of leather, a last, and means including-a sole-supporting platen to pro duce. relative movement of the leather holding means and last toward one another to stretch the leather over the last to form an upper.

5. A shoe machine comprising means to hold apiece of leather, a last, means including a sole-supporting platen to produce relative movement of the leather holding means and last toward one another to stretch the leather over the last to form an upper,.and means to fasten a sole to the upper while the upper is held.

6. shoe machine comprising meansto hold apiece of leather, a last, means to produce relative movement of the leather holding means and last toward one another to stretch the leather over thelast to form an upper, a basting collar having basting members projecting therefrom, and means to force the basting collar toward the leather holding means. i

7. A shoe machine comprising a platen a piece of leather therebetween,

, adapted to support a sole, a last adapted to rest on the sole, a collar, means to hold a piece of leather on the collar, and means to raise the platen to force the last *through of. means to shape an upper, and means inthe collar to shape the leather to the last.

8. A shoe machine comprising a platen adapted to support a sole, a last adapted to rest on the sole, a collar means to hold a piece of leather on the collar, means to raise the platen to force the last through the col- 1 lar to shape the leather to the "last, and means to fasten the marginal portions of v 1 ,said leather to the sole while'the leather is in the holding means.

9. A shoe. machine comprising a platen 4 adapted to support a sole, a last adapted torest on the sole, a;collar,means' to hold a piece of leather on the collar, means to raise the platen to force the last through the collart o shape the leather to the last to form an upper, abasting collar having basting members projecting therefrom, and means to-force the basting collar toward the sole I to baste the upper and sole together.

10. In a shoe machine, the combination a with sole supporting means, of means to tachable basting collar to fasten the upper v and soletogether.

11. In a shoe machine, the combination 0 uding a detachable basting collar to fasten a sole to the upper.

12. In a shoe machine, the combination with sole-supporting means, of a lastabove the sole-supportingmeans, and means including a detachable basting collar 'to baste the sole to an upper on the last.

13. In a shoe machine, the combination with sole supporting means, of means to shape an u per and to hold the upper and sole towar one another, and means including a detachable basting collar to fasten the Eppier and sole together while they, are so Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 5th day of June, 1918.

s-AMUnL STRAUSS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. HILEB, L. BELLE WEAVER. 

